Image
Ht
5'
3"
Class
Senior
Hometown
Alamosa,
Colorado
Last School
Alamosa High School
Roster Years
2009-2013
Personal
- Parents are Martin and Lorna Sowards
- Father ran cross country for Adams State College
- Enjoys singing, playing the piano, reading, crocheting, being with family and friends, listening to music, taking naps, and interacting with animals
- Majoring in Spanish teaching with a minor in TESOL K-12
Before BYU
- Four-year letterwinner in both track and cross country at Alamosa HS
- Owned a perfect 4.0 GPA in high school
- Team captain all four years
- Ranked as the No. 1 female athlete in her school and valley for four years
- Regional champion her senior year in cross country after second and third-place finishes other years
- An all-state runner, coming in third her sophomore year and eighth place as a senior
- Named all-state in track for four years, earning multiple individual regional and state championships in several events and a member of several relay championship teams
Summary
- All-Mountain Region Team selection (2012)
- 2013 All-Mountain Region First Team
Stats
2012: Junior | |||
---|---|---|---|
Place | Event | Time | Distance |
4 | BYU Autumn Classic | 17:23.1 | 3Mile |
32 | Toledo Bubble Buster | 13:57.7 | 4K |
148 | Wisconsin Invitational | 20:30.0 | 6K |
20 | WCC Championships | 21:21.0 | 6K |
25 | Mountain Region Championships | 21:18.0 | 6K |
2010: Sophomore | |||
---|---|---|---|
Place | Event | Time | Distance |
18 | Utah State Open | 17:48.9 | 5K |
21 | Aztec Invitational | 19:02.2 | 5K |
15 | Bob Firman Invitational | 19:12.9 | 5K |
2009: Freshman | |||
---|---|---|---|
Place | Event | Time | Distance |
18 | BYU Autumn Classic* | 19:17.0 | 5K |
66 | UC Riverside Invitational | 18:13.4 | 5K |
25 | Bob Firman Invitational | 19:19.9 | 5K |
* - Unattached
BYU Hall of Fame
Freshman Year
2009
- Ran unattached at the BYU Autumn Classic, finishing the 5K race in 19:17
- Came in 66th place at the UC Riverside Invitational in 18:13
- Arrived in 25th place at the Bob Firman Invitational in 19:19
Sophmore Year
2010
- Placed 18th at the Utah State Open in 17:48.9
- Took 21st at the Aztec Invitational in 19:02.2
- Ended the season at the Bob Firman Invitational with a 15th place finish in 19:12.9
Junior Year
2012
- In first race of the year, led the Cougars to a second-place finish placing first for BYU and fourth overall at the BYU Autumn Classic
- Placed third for BYU and 32nd overall at the Toledo Bubble Buster in 13:57.7
- Finished third for BYU and 148th overall in 21:04.0 at the Wisconsin Invitational
- At the WCC Championships, finished third for BYU and 20th overall in 21:21.0
- During the Mountain Region Championships, placed second for BYU and 25th overall in 21:18.0 and received All-Mountain Region honors
Senior Year
2013
Graduate Year
Redshirt Year
2011
Medical Redshirt Year
2011
- W Cross Country | Oct, 16
Heavily ranked field at Wisconsin challenges Cougars
- ImageW Cross Country | Oct, 16
Heavily ranked field at Wisconsin challenges Cougars
- ImageW Cross Country | Oct, 04
Shields leads Cougars to defeat four ranked teams at Notre Dame
- ImageW Cross Country | Nov, 13
2012 women's cross country season review
- ImageW Cross Country | Nov, 07
Mountain Region Championships preview
- ImageW Cross Country | Oct, 27
Shields finishes fourth at WCC Cross Country Championships
- ImageW Cross Country | Oct, 23
West Coast Conference Championship preview
- ImageW Cross Country | Oct, 13
Shields fuels BYU to 24th-place finish at Wisconsin Invitational
- ImageW Cross Country | Oct, 10
Competition escalates for BYU at Wisconsin Adidas Invitational
- ImageW Cross Country | Sep, 21
Natalie Shields leads team to sixth-place finish at Toledo Bubble Buster
- ImageW Cross Country | Sep, 18
Cougars set to race top runners for first time at Toledo Bubble Buster
- ImageW Cross Country | Sep, 14
Women's cross country team places second at BYU Autumn Classic